Hi All:

I am having a Ranger RT198P built and I went with the following options:

Ghost Trolling Motor
Elite 9FS at the console
Elite 9FS at the bow

Okay now my question is this:

I am trying to decide what to do with the bow. I can do one of the following:

1. Put a dual mount up there and install a Lowrance 12 HDS Live with the 3 in 1 transducer
or
2. Stay with the current 2 graphs and have them put ActiveTarget on the Ghost.

I generally fish for either striper, bass, or crappie if that makes too much of a difference.

What are the pro's and con's of those 2 options above?

A follow-up questions to all of that.

a. If I go the HDS 12 Live route will that give me the Live options or am I going to have to have a different transducer installed at some point?
b. Since I am going to have everything networked will the Elite FS units be able to use the transducer from the HDS Live or will I have 2 transducers installed on the boat?

Thanks,
Kyle

Downfall with the FS is the single Ethernet port, hard to network them if you add Active Target. You can do it with an add on box, but the Live graphs have dual ports already built into them.

For open water fishing (crappie/stripers) the AT would come in handy (if you take the time to learn it). Not worth much for shallow water bank beating bass anglers though.

If you’re wanting to save some $$$, Bass Pro Shops has the Carbon12 with 3 in 1 transducer for $1500. Half the price of a Live graph. It all depends on how much you want to sink into it, obviously a Live12 with Active Target is best and you could use the Ghost built in down image & 2d sonar transducer. They also sell a 3 in 1 transducer that hooks to the ghost if you wanted side imaging on the trolling motor. Many choices, it just adds to the cost. If there’s no budget, we can get you squared away pretty easily.

Okay a follow-up question.

Instead of the ActiveTarget would it make more sense to do the HDS Live with a Livesight transducer?

Livesight is not as good as active target, go with the AT. You might be a bit mixed up too, livesight is kinda like AT, but not as good.

Or did you mean to ask about active imaging vs active target?

I am probably mixed up. I was just looking and saw that the livesight was a transducer option, but after I posted I noticed a lot of the reviews were several years old so it was older technology compared to AT like you said.

What is the difference between active imaging and active target? Also what hardware would I need to run active imaging if it was better?

Your best option is to put an HDS Live on your bow. With the 2 FS you only have 1 ethernet per unit you will need 3 when you add AT. You may not like the screen on your FS once you start using the HDS which is Great in all conditions. The FS does not have the same coating as the HDS. If you want to save a little Get the 12 on the Bow and 9 on the Console Both HDS Lives then you will not have to to end up buying an ethernet box down the road when another new tool comes out. The processing, the screen and the expandability of the HDS cannot be undercounted. When the day comes you want any of those things that extra you paid for the HDS will be long forgotten. If you have more questions feel free to PM

Larry